Any VESA card · Generic VESA
Any VESA 2.0 adapter (vbe package)
Velocity9x: Experimental
For a card with no native backend. The `vbe` package needs only a VESA 2.0 BIOS and a linear framebuffer: the mode is set through the BIOS and the CPU does all the drawing. Install it through Have Disk and accept the "not intended for this hardware" warning. If it fails, C:\V9XDIAG\V9XBOOT.INI says which VESA step refused.
- Manufacturer
- Any VESA card
- Family
- Generic VESA
- 3D engine
- none: software rasterizer
- Bus
- Any
Package
vbe
Acceleration by interface
2D / DirectDraw
No
Direct3D
Tested
CPU rasterizer, not timed
Direct3D 8
Not run
OpenGL
Not run
Two texture units
No
Glide
Not run
ATI 3DCIF
Not run
What has been tested
Tested on a GMA 950 and a Trio3D, installed through Have Disk. Writes the screen write-combined from 0.39.0 (Radeon R3E, Radeon HD 8570, Rage 128 Pro), and from 0.46.0 GDI draws into a copy of the desktop in system memory.
Known issues
- Software OpenGL in a window is slow where the screen is slow to read (about 70 ms per present for a small window on a Radeon R3E, 1.5 s at 800x600 on one GTX 970).
Sources and testing notes
Install on Windows 98
- Take a cold backup and confirm you can reach Safe Mode.
- Download the
vbepackage(Generic VESA 2.0 (software rendering)). - Device Manager → Display adapters → Update Driver → Have Disk, over the top of the current driver.
- Shut down fully, then cold-start once.